The first ever Muslim Cultural Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah took place on Sunday Sept 7, 2003. The theme of the festival was that diversity, inclusion, and tolerance are strengths of the Muslim Community and of the United States.
A true multi-cultural celebration of diversity with participation of a panel of twelve distinguished speakers and Arab-American, Persian-American, Latino-American, African-American, and Anglo-American entertainers and vendors of merchandise and government and non-government service providers. Food vendors included Café Med, Spice of India, La Palapa, Ye Olde Kettle Corn/Jtees, Sarah's Middle East Catering/Jenan & Saad Albaderi, and El Rin Con Cyto Salvadoreno/Jorge Ramos. Adult and Child ACELA Dancers Entertainment was provided by Ava, Geenie Baggs, Tel/Tiann/Mady, Suzuki Violinists, Asociacion Cultural Y Educative Latino-Americana (ACELA), Aag, Amoon Javed, and Eastern Artists.
KSL Radio, Deseret News, and the City Weekly broadcast/published pre-event articles. TV Channels 2, 5, and 13 broadcast coverage on the day of the event and The Salt Lake Tribune published an article on the festival the day after the event.
Panel of Speakers 2003
Some of the Panel of Speakers (and Guests) at the Festival from left:
Senator James Evans - Utah State Senate, Earl Morris - Federal Security Director Transp Security Admin Salt Lake City, Abdul Malik Muhammad - VIBE/American Muslim Society, Ligia Zecena - publisher of Noestro Mundo, Salt Lake Mayor Hon. Ross (Rocky ) Anderson. Extreme right side Reverend Dave Randle - United Religions Initiative.
